Why I Chose Raised Beds For Vegetables

All four beds are out in the garden area plus a much smaller bed. I bought row fabric to cover the beds lest, should anything actually sprout, I'm not just feeding the squirrels and the deer.  Pretty soon it will be time to plant -- after the fence goes up and the dirt goes in probably in reverse order.
I chose to use raised beds for just about all of the reasons below.
Pros of Raised-Bed Gardening:

• More control over the location of the garden
• Ability to choose the best soil for your particular plants
• More efficient draining
• Can be easier on backs and knees due to less bending and stooping
• Easier to keep out weeds
• The soil warms up earlier in a raised bed, so you can plant earlier and extend your growing season
• Better ability to keep out ground-dwelling pests

The reasons below for not using raised beds didn't seem that compelling.
Cons of Raised-Bed Gardening:

• Can be more expensive to get started
• Require careful planning to make sure there is enough room for plants that need to spread out, and to ensure that you can reach the middle to tend the plants
• Because raised beds drain so efficiently, they will also need to be watered more often and my require an irrigation system

If things go well I will probably also put in some containers.  There's quite a bit of space in the area I've chosen.
Raised Beds Versus Containers?
At first glance, raised beds can look like large containers. But raised beds do not  have bottoms like a planter or box would – they are built directly on top of the ground. Some raised beds don’t have walls at all, and are simply piles of soil mounded on top of the existing soil! Veggie container gardening is another great option to consider if you’re working with limited yard space or less-than-ideal soil conditions.

I'll keep you posted.